Friday, January 30, 2009

I finally came up with something to complement my woven baby blanket, which is a good thing since the twins are due any day now.

I tried to knit a blanket back in December but my heart was never in it. I don't mind knitting, but I don't love it, and the knitting never really took off. Then one day I was in Michael's with a 50% off coupon and I saw some baby afghan cloth for cross-stitching on and it was perfect. I went through my various pattern books and pulled out 8 designs. I simplified the colours and changed a couple of things - a zebra pattern became a horse motif. I had lots of fun, and finished fairly quickly, so now the blankets are ready to send to Canada.

Here is the blanket:

And here are all the motifs close up:I did make a really lovely ornament for exchange at my EGA chapter holiday luncheon back in December, but forgot to take a photo. It was our Gentle Pursuits hand logo, with holly and mistletoe at the wrist, holding an angel charm - like a hand ready to trim a tree. But I didn't take a photo so you'll have to take my word for it.

I have a couple of things my daughters have done to show you soon. Some excellent needle felting and a science fair project testing the colour-fastness of food dyes on wool - which should be of interest to those of you thinking of doing your own dyeing at home.

And I'm the recipient of a Pay-It-Forward project, so I'll write more when the package arrives and I decide on what and how I will send on to others who want to participate.